Features
- Designed for expanding refrigeration-type soft copper tubing
- Automatic rotating expansion heads for even expansion (suitable for brazing)
- Two-position adjustable collar on select heads to help reduce cracking on smaller tubing
- Steel body with nickel-plated steel jaws for durability
- Multiple head sizes available (sold separately or as sets)
Specifications
| Compatible With | DCE450 copper swage tool (20V) |
| Available Sizes | 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8", 3/4", 7/8", 1-1/8", 1-3/8", 1-5/8" |
| Materials | Steel body; nickel-plated steel jaws |
| Adjustable Collar | Two-position on 3/8" head (1/4" and 5/16" heads also feature two-stage collar when applicable) |
| Rotation | Automatic rotating capability on applicable heads |
| Intended Use | Expansions for refrigeration-type soft copper tubing; produces swages suitable for brazing |
| Warranty | 2 Year |
| Example Sku | DCE4500140 |
Set of copper swage heads intended for use with a 20V copper swage tool to expand refrigeration-type soft copper tubing. Heads are made with a steel body and nickel-plated jaws and include options with automatic rotation for more even expansions. Certain heads provide a two-position adjustable collar to reduce cracking on smaller tubing.
Project Ideas
Business
Pre-Swaged HVAC Repair Kits
Package soft-copper repair sleeves with pre-formed swaged sockets in common sizes (1/4"–7/8"). Include deburring tools, emery cloth, and brazing rings. Auto-rotated swages give uniform fit-up for leak-tight brazing, reducing field time. Market to HVAC pros and supply houses as no-fitting repair kits; note compatibility with soft copper and local code guidance.
Custom Mini-Split Headers
Fabricate compact branch headers and line-set manifolds using 7/8"–1-1/8" trunks with swaged takeoffs down to 1/4"–3/8". The two-position collar helps maintain wall integrity on small branches, while rotating heads deliver clean, concentric sockets. Offer rapid-turn custom spacing and port counts for installers retrofitting tight spaces.
Mobile Retrofit Swaging Service
Provide on-site swaging and brazing for remodels where fittingless joints save space and reduce pressure drops. Charge per joint plus travel, with priority same-day service for down HVAC systems. Promote benefits: fewer fittings to stock, cleaner brazes from even expansions, and reduced leak risk on soft copper.
Workshops and Maker Classes
Host weekend classes on copper swaging, brazing, and patination for makers, HVAC apprentices, and artists. Students complete a small lamp or chime using multiple head sizes, learning when to use the adjustable collar to prevent small-tube cracking. Monetize through tuition, material kits, and tool head sales or rentals.
Copper Decor Product Line
Launch an online shop for sleek copper lighting, planters, and fountains built with swaged joints for seamless aesthetics. Highlight precision, concentric sockets achieved with auto-rotating heads. Offer custom sizing and patinas; upsell care kits and replacement parts. Sell via Etsy, craft fairs, and boutique home stores.
Creative
Modular Copper Lighting
Create pendant or floor lamps using soft copper tubing joined by swaged sockets instead of bulky fittings. Use auto-rotating heads for uniform bell ends that accept straight tube for clean, minimalist joints you can braze. Run low-voltage LED wiring inside the tubing; build modules with 3/8"–1/2" for arms and 5/8"–3/4" for main stems. The two-position collar on smaller heads helps prevent cracking when making tight, repeated expansions on 1/4"–5/16" accent pieces.
Copper Herb Trellis
Make a wall-mounted or planter trellis from 3/8" and 1/2" soft copper. Swage the ends of crossbars to sleeve over verticals for invisible joints, then braze for strength. Form gentle arcs and leaf motifs by flattening short swaged bells as decorative collars. Finish with a heat tint or patina for a garden-ready piece that won’t rust.
Spiral Drip Fountain
Build a tabletop water feature using a spiral of 1/2" copper with swaged couplers hidden under decorative collars. Auto-rotating heads give smooth, even expansions that blend when polished. Add short 1/4"–5/16" swaged stubs as drip outlets; use the adjustable collar to avoid cracking on the small sizes. Seal and braze joints, then patina for an aged look.
Aero Wind Chimes
Cut varying lengths of 3/8"–5/8" copper and swage one end of each to create flared resonator collars that change tone and add visual flair. Suspend from a central 3/4" ring made by swaging and brazing a loop. The even rotation helps the flares look symmetrical and professional. Finish with liver of sulfur or ammonia fuming for a gradient patina.
Planter Rims and Collars
Form elegant rolled rims on copper planter sleeves by swaging the top edge into a subtle bell and then lightly planishing. Stack sections by swaging lower pieces to nest into uppers for tall planters without external couplers. Use small 1/4"–3/8" swaged ports near the base for discreet irrigation inlets.